Remote control device, and method and system for remotely steering ship

Abstract

A remote steering system is provided. The remote steering system includes a steering device configured to control a traveling direction of a ship by at least adjusting an angle of a rudder, and a remote control device configured to remotely control the steering device. The remote control device includes an azimuth sensor configured to detect an oriented azimuth of the remote control device, and a controller communication unit configured to transmit, to the steering device, at least one of the oriented azimuth detected by the azimuth sensor and a change amount of the oriented azimuth. The steering device receives the at least one of the oriented azimuth and the change amount from the remote control device, and controls the traveling direction of the ship based on the at least one of the oriented azimuth and the change amount.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A remote steering system, comprising:
 a rudder steering device configured to control a traveling course of a ship by at least adjusting an angle of a rudder; and 
 a remote control device configured to remotely control the rudder steering device, the remote control device including:
 an azimuth sensor configured to detect an oriented azimuth, or a reference azimuth and a change amount from the reference azimuth, indicated by the remote control device; and 
 a controller communication unit configured to transmit, to the rudder steering device, the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth, and 
 
 wherein the rudder steering device receives the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth from the remote control device, and makes a course or a heading of the ship correspond to the oriented azimuth, or an azimuth based on the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth of the remote control device. 
 
     
     
       2. The remote steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the rudder steering device has an autopilot function to keep a specified course, and determines a course for the autopilot based on the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth, received from the remote control device. 
     
     
       3. The remote steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the rudder steering device controls the traveling course of the ship based on the change amount from the reference azimuth, received from the remote control device. 
     
     
       4. The remote steering system of  claim 3 , wherein the remote control device transmits, to the rudder steering device, the change amount from the reference azimuth from a heading of the ship, and
 wherein the rudder steering device controls the traveling course of the ship based on the change amount from the reference azimuth, received from the remote control device. 
 
     
     
       5. The remote steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller communication unit transmits, as a specified oriented-azimuth, the oriented azimuth at which an oriented azimuth specifying operation is performed, the oriented azimuth specifying operation performed to specify the azimuth to be transmitted to the rudder steering device, and
 wherein the rudder steering device controls the traveling course of the ship to the specified oriented-azimuth. 
 
     
     
       6. The remote steering system of  claim 5 , wherein the remote control device includes a display unit configured to display information, and
 wherein at least while the oriented azimuth specifying operation is awaited, the display unit displays at least one of a value indicating the oriented azimuth, information associated with the oriented azimuth, and information associated with a position in the oriented azimuth. 
 
     
     
       7. The remote steering system of  claim 1 , wherein a specified oriented-azimuth is determined based on a reference azimuth specifying operation in which a reference azimuth is specified and a change amount specifying operation in which the change amount from the reference azimuth is specified, and
 wherein the rudder steering device veers the ship based on the specified oriented-azimuth. 
 
     
     
       8. The remote steering system of  claim 7 , wherein the remote control device includes a display unit configured to display information, and
 wherein at least while the change amount specifying operation is awaited, the display unit displays the change amount from the reference azimuth. 
 
     
     
       9. The remote steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote control device and the rudder steering device are connected to a single local area network. 
     
     
       10. A remote control device, comprising:
 an azimuth sensor configured to detect an oriented azimuth of the remote control device, or a reference azimuth and a change amount from the reference azimuth by the remote control device, indicated by the remote control device; and 
 a communicator configured to transmit control instructions including the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and a change amount from the reference azimuth, to a rudder steering device configured to control a traveling course of a ship by at least adjusting an angle of a rudder according to the control instructions. 
 
     
     
       11. The remote control device of  claim 10 , wherein the communicator transmits an instruction to change the traveling course of the ship to the rudder steering device, along with the at least one of the oriented azimuth and the change amount. 
     
     
       12. The remote control device of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to determine one of a specified oriented-azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth based on a reference azimuth specifying operation in which a reference azimuth is specified and a change amount specifying operation in which the change amount from the reference azimuth is specified,
 wherein the communicator transmits an instruction to the rudder steering device to veer the ship based on the one of the specified oriented-azimuth and the change amount. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of remotely steering a ship, comprising:
 detecting an oriented azimuth of a remote control device; 
 transmitting the detected oriented azimuth, or a reference azimuth and a change amount from the reference azimuth, indicated by the remote control device, to a rudder steering device that is remotely controlled by the remote control device; 
 receiving the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth, with the rudder steering device; and 
 controlling a traveling course of the ship corresponding to the oriented azimuth, or an azimuth based on the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth of the remote control device, and received by the rudder steering device. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of remotely steering the ship of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitting the detected oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth, includes transmitting an instruction to change the traveling course of the ship, along with the oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount. 
     
     
       15. The method of remotely steering the ship of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitting the detected oriented azimuth, or the reference azimuth and the change amount from the reference azimuth, includes determining one of a specified oriented-azimuth and the change amount based on a reference azimuth specifying operation in which a reference azimuth is specified and a change amount specifying operation in which the change amount from the reference azimuth is specified, and
 wherein the controlling the traveling course includes veering the ship based on the one of the specified oriented-azimuth and the change amount.